


Jealousy

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-12
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-04-14 07:28:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4555932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Damian needs a costume for a Halloween party, and Bruce isn't the happiest about his choice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jealousy

**Author's Note:**

> Halloween Prompt 2014.
> 
> The costume is for like…school or some W.E. party, so it can’t look too real. But Damian wants it workable so in case there is trouble, he can just run off and do whatever, and there’s no one they trust more with alterations than Alfred. Also, Jason was just fartin’ around the house and Alfred asked for his assistance. Jason can never say no to Alfred.

“B, you’ve gotta stop.” Dick hummed smugly, taking a sip of his coffee, watching the scene in the family room from the kitchen table. “We’ve talked about this. You have to accept his decisions.”

Bruce huffed. “I _am_.”

Dick snorted from behind his mug. “You’re _not_.”

Jason appeared in the entryway. “Alfie needs scissors.”

Dick leaned back in his seat, draping an arm over the back of his chair and crossing his legs. “Why does Alfie need scissors?”

“Because you insisted that the brat use that old shirt of yours.” Jason snapped. “And the sleeves are too long.”

“Top drawer, under the coffee maker.” Bruce sighed, leaning his elbows against the table. He watched Jason cross the kitchen before his gaze moved back to the family room, where Damian stood in front of Alfred, holding his arms out for the butler to pin back the sleeves.

The drawer was closed with a thump and Jason floated back towards the family room, before stopping at the doorway and turning back. “Oh yeah, and kid wants to know if he should go blue or red. He, and I quote, ‘Sees the merits of both.’”

Bruce groaned as Dick grinned. “Blue.” Dick laughed. “Can never go wrong with the classic.”

“Yes you can.” Jason returned. “Even I wouldn’t put the kid through the torture of wearing the _disco_.”

Before Dick could defend himself, Jason was back at Alfred’s side, picking up the blue and holding it against Damian’s arm.

“I’m just _saying_.” Bruce mumbled. “When I was a kid, I always wanted to dress like my father for Halloween. I can’t tell you how many years in a row I went as a doctor. It’s normal development.”

“In case you’ve forgotten,” Dick leaned his head towards Bruce’s shoulder. “Your son didn’t exactly get a chance at _normal development_.”

“I know.” Bruce whispered guiltily. “I…no one knows that more than me, Dick.”

The two lapsed into a silence then, watching as Jason lifted Damian off the ground so Alfred could hem his trousers. Their voices were too quiet to hear actual words, but judging by the look on Jason’s face, he and Damian were trading barbs. Not terrible ones, if Alfred’s almost hidden smile was any indication.

Dick glanced over at Bruce. His face was blank and hard, and that was nothing new. But Dick was always able to read people’s eyes, and Bruce was no exception. There was a longing trapped in those blue orbs. A desperate want, a _need_ , to be a part of his son’s life. To live up the expectation his son had of him when he first appeared in their lives. To have Damian look at him and say _I want to be exactly like you, Father_.

Dick understood that. It was jealousy. Just a tiny bit. And he couldn’t say he didn’t have a little himself when Damian left his side to work with Bruce.

The smugness turned to warmth as Dick leaned forward, bumping his shoulder against Bruce’s. “Can I tell you a secret?”

“Hm?” Bruce continued to watch the family room. Jason had placed Damian back on the ground and was now holding the blue fabric as Alfred cut them into long strips, pinning them against Damian’s sleeves.

“Back when…well, you know. Back when we thought you were dead. When the public thought you’d just disappeared.” Dick explained softly, looking down at his coffee. “Lucius insisted we still hold the annual Halloween party at the office. That…well, that we show up still, me, Damian and Tim. Have a good time, because that’s what you would want for us, wherever you were.”

Dick didn’t move, but in his periphery saw Bruce look at him.

“Alfred forced us to do costumes. I was an elephant. Tim was a…king or prince or something.” Dick waved it off. “But Damian…his costume was you.”

Bruce remained silent.

“And I’m not talking Batman. I’m talking _you_.” Dick clarified. Bruce shifted, seemingly taken aback. “Showed up in this… _ridiculously_ nice tailored suit. Looked like one of those ones you wore when I was a kid. Hair slicked back, shiny shoes, biggest – and _fakest_ – smile I’d ever seen.”

Dick chuckled, looking back up. Jason was crouched in front of Damian now, a mischievous smile on his face as he wrapped one of the cutoff sleeves around Damian’s forehead, gently cutting two haphazard eyeholes in the correct places. Damian was glaring at him, but unable to stop him, trying to stay still as Alfred worked.

“And the funniest part? Everyone knew. At the party, everyone pegged him for you, that you were his costume.” Dick continued. “And he was just…so _happy_ about it. Didn’t say anything about it, of course, but I could tell. I think even Tim could tell. Anytime someone told him he looked exactly like you, his face would just kind of…light up. Had this big pride about it.”

Dick didn’t say anything else, and quiet took the kitchen once more. After a moment Bruce smiled. “I…see. Did he…was Batman ever an option?”

“Not for Halloween.” Dick responded. “But every other day, being Batman was _always_ an option. He still tells me to this day he thinks he would have been a better Batman than me. I’m sure you’ve seen his redesigns, right? That trench coat thing?”

“I have.”

“So…don’t worry about it. Okay?” Dick questioned, standing. Damian looked over, first at Dick then his eyes landed on Bruce. His face became a little shy, unsure. Bruce smiled and gave him a quick nod. Dick huffed a laugh, moving towards the entryway. “You’re still his favorite, Bruce. I promise.”


End file.
